Control device for a textile machine

ABSTRACT

According to the present invention apparatus for the operation of such elements as the needle or jacks of knitting machines comprising a movable cam member adapted to be urged into and out of operative engagement with the butts of elements, the member being moved by a pneumatic activator selectively fed by a predetermined pneumatic pulse.

United States Patent [151 3,683,644 Chvala et al. 51 Aug. 15, 1972 [5CONTROL DEVICE FOR A TEXTILE 691,692 l/ 1902 Zweigbergk ..91/167 MACHINE1,549,072 8/1925 Dole, Sr. et a1 ..92/99 [72] Inventors: BrefislavChvala; Jamslav Janostik, 1,925,571 9/1933 Rogers etal ..92/99 X2,416,933 3/1947 Lynam et a1. ..66/154 A both of Prague, Jindrich Mares,Jan 2 646 781 7/1953 Do 92/99 x lerabek both of Trebi 2 738 808 3/1956Hai tz ll t l 92/99 x Czechoslovakia e e a.

3,043,338 7/1962 Hanson .92/99 [73] Assignee: Elitex, Zavody textilnihostrojirenst- 3,072,146 1 1963 Gizeski ..91/ 167 X vi generalnireditelstvi, Liberec, 3,177,686 4/1965 Croucher ..66/8 I Czechoslovakia3,183,793 5/1965 McCleery ..92/99 X [22] Filed: March 9, 1970 3,223,00112/1965 Morgan ..92/99 X l [21] Appl. No: 17,785 FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 1,287,447 2/1962 France ..66/8 30 A 623,170 12/1935 Germany..66/8 1 Data 800,085 9/1950 Germany ..66/8 March 1969 Czechoslovakia/69 1,140,839 l/1969 Great Britain ..66/8

[52] US. Cl. ..66/8, 66/40, 91/167, Primary Examiner-Wm, Carter Reynolds/9 Att0rneyRichard Low and Murray Schaffer [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 15/68[58] Field of Search ..66/57, 8, 154 A, 140 S, 41, [57] ABSTRACT 66/4078; 227/9; 92/99 According to the present invention apparatus for the[56] References Cited operation of such elements as the needle or jacksof knitting machines comprising a movable cam member UNITED STATESPATENTS adapted to be urged into and out of operative engagement withthe butts of elements, the member being 3,587,251 6/ 1971 Vmcoh ..66/8moved by a pneumatic activator Selectively fed by a 3,254,509 6/1966Tencom ..66/41 predetermined pneumatic pulm 3,266,377 8/1966 Panissidi..91/167 3,334,545 8/ 1967 Houser ..92/99 X 4 Claims, 4 Drawing FiguresBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION vided. Obviously such a device has thedisadvantage of I requiring long connecting means, close tolerances,perfect adjustment, which are difficult to obtain over long operatingperiods. Above all such devices are complicated.

Even more recently the machine elements have been controlled byelectromagnetic mechanisms activated by a pre-programed device such as acomputer. Because of the high degree of precision required to build andmaintain such devices, they have not been too accurate over long periodsof operation. The requirement to indirectly transmit adequate power in astepwise incremental fashion and the excessive dimensions of suchelements have been further drawbacks. These factors are of significancesince space, power and time are critical factors in knittingmanufacture, particularly in the hosiery industry.

It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus for thecontrol of the movable. elements of knitting machines which overcomesthese drawbacks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a small,simple, reliable, low cost, low power activator for movable knittingmachine elements.

It is still another object to provide a'highly sensitive, criticallyoperative device capable of close tolerance activation of knittingmachine elements.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide apparatussuitable for use with needle, jack, yarn guide, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION According to the present inventionapparatus is provided for the operation of such elements as the needleor jacks, comprising a movable cam member adapted to be urged into andout of operative engagement with the butts of the elements, the membercam being moved by a pneumatic activator selectively fed by apredetermined pneumatic pulse. 4

In the preferred form the pneumatic activator comprises a body having adiaphragm mounted therein adapted to be flexed against the member onapplication of the pulse. The distance of movement of the member beingdetermined by the flexing of the diaphragm.

Also it is possible to arrange a plurality of activators in series sothat the distance of movement can be increased correspondingly.

Full details of the present invention are set forth herein, and theobjects and advantages of the invention fully illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following description,reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially sectioned, of a needle cylindershowing the needles and jacks of a circular knitting to which thepresent invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a modified form of the present invention,and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2showing additional details.

DESCRIPTION In the following description, reference is made to acircular knitting machine in order to illustrate the application of thepresent invention. Such reference is not intended to limit the use orthe scope of the invention since it will be apparent that it may begenerally applied to many forms of knitting machines. Further, theknitting machine portion illustrated is schematic in form, and onlythose parts which are required to describe the structure, function andinterrelationship of the present invention are actually shown. Thoseskilled in this art will have a full knowledge and appreciation of thestructure of knitting machines, and from the following description willbe readily able to employ the present invention in any application.

Turning now to FIG. 1, the present invention is shown as applied to acircular knitting machine having a cylinder 1 in which a plurality oflongitudinal needles grooves 2 are formed. Located within each groove 2is one or more control elements such as jacks 3, each having a butt 4extending radically outward to ride within a track 5 a of an annular camhousing 5. A needle 6 is arranged in each longitudinal groove 2 abovethe jack 3 and is also provided with a butt 7 at its lower end engagingwithin a track 5b of the annular cam 5.

The aforementioned structure is conventional in circular knittingmachines and operates in well known manner so that as the needlecylinder 1 and the cam 5 are rotated relative to each other, the jacksand needles 6 cause axial movement of the needles effecting the loopingof the yarn into a knit pattern. Conventionally, the needle butts 7 aredivided into groups having differing radial length or extension so thatthey may be selectively engaged and operated. Separate controlmechanisms such as those mentioned in the introduction hereto areemployed to operate the needle butts. The predetermined programing ofthe relative cylinder and cam rotation, and the operation of the needlebutts provides the required cyclic and repetitive operation to form aknit fabric or product of predetermined design.

The present invention is concerned with a novel needle or jack buttcontrol mechanism and as seen in FIG. 1 comprises a cam 8 arranged tomove under pneumatic impulse radially into and out of engagement withthe butt 7. In the simplest form shown in enlarged detail in FIG. 2, thecam 8 is secured at the end of a pin member 15 extending from apneumatic actuator 9. The actuator, as will be described in detaillater, is adapted, under the flow of pneumatic pressure to move themember 15 and the connected cam 8, axially with respect to the cylinder1, a fixed distance along the direction indicated by the arrow S. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, two actuators, 9 and 10, are arranged backto back or serially on a bracket 11 secured to the cam housing 5 by asuitable screw fastener 12. The second actuator is designed to reinforcethe pulse applied to the pin either separately or jointly with the pulseof actuator 9 so that the cam 8 may be moved in the direction of arrowS, in two fixed increments or steps, thus enabling it to selectivelyengage a short or a long needle butt 7. The piston pin 16 of the secondactuator 10 extends to the rear and is fixed against bracket 11.

Each actuator 9 and 10 is fed by a conduit 13 and 14 respectively intowhich air under pressure is supplied. Suitable valve or supplymechanisms as well as programing means such as a digital computer isprovided to furnish a pressure P and a pressure P to the conduits 13 and14 respectively. The source of pressured air, or even an inert gas, isshown in FIG. 4 schematically, it being obvious that it, too, as well asvalves, regulators, etc., are conventional and well known. The supply ofpneumatic pressure, ie either or both of P and P is pre-programed andpredetermined relative to the rotation of the needle cylinder by any ofthe conventional techniques, thereby establishing a predeterminedknitting pattern. The cam 8 is moved in stepwise fashion either in asingle or double increment to engage with the selected needle butt 7.

Should it be desired to move the cam 8 radially along the direction S inthree incremental steps, a third pneumatic actuator 18 is to be placedin tandem with actuators 9 and 10 as is seen clearly in FIG. 3. In suchan instance, the piston pin 16 of the second actuator 10 is placed intandem with the third actuator whose own piston pin extends rearwardlyinto a guide groove 17 formed in the bracket 11. The third actuator isprovided with its own intake conduit 19 which feeds a third pressurepulse P The arrangement of the actuators 9, l0 and 18 and theirrespective piston pins 15, 16 and 20 is dictated by the form of theactuators, themselves, which are shown in detail in FIG. 4. This latterfigure depicts the preferred form of actuator since it has been found tobe simple, reliable and completely effective at low pressure inputs. Theactuators can be built in very small units and to very small tolerancesso as to be ganged in series about the needle cylinder.

As seen in FIG. 4, the actuator body 9 (which is similar in structure toactuators l0 and 18) comprises a front lid 23 and back cover 26, eachhaving a peripheral lip and a central recess which cooperate to form ahollow interior chamber 30. The piston pin extends through the frontface of the lid 23 through an adjustable bushing 32 and has secured atits inner end a flat plate 21 which bears against a flexible diaphragm22 which divides the chamber into front and rear sections. The diaphragm22 is stretched and mounted between the peripheral lips of the front lid23 and the back cover 26 and is held by suitable screw fasteners 27 and28 which also hold the two halves of the actuator 9 together. Thepressure pulse P, enters from a source of regulated gaseous pressure 33through conduit 13, into a channel 29 communicating with the chamber 30to the rear of the diaphragm 22 where it expands and bends the diaphragmoutwardly against the plate 21.

The delivery of the pulse P, is regulated as to time and duration bysuitable programing means such as an electronic or pneumatic computer34.

The front lid 23 is provided with holes 24 and 25 opening to theatmosphere. The pin 15 is normally biased against the diaphragm 22 by aspring 31 held within the adjustable bushing 32. The bushing 32 may beplaced so as to limit the outward movement of the pin 15, on actuationby the diaphragm 22.

Operatively, in the absence of pressure pulse P the chamber 30 betweenthe diaphragm 22 and the back cover 26 is, itself, unpressurized and thediaphragm 22 assumes a neutral position, since the ambient atmosphereand the spring 31 act on the plate 21 which bears against the diaphragm.The pin 15 and the cam 8, if attached to it, assumes a rest position.When a pressure pulse P is, however, fed into conduit 13, the rear halfof the chamber 30 becomes pressurized, flexing the diaphragm and pushingthe pin 15 outwardly against the spring 31. Any air in the front half ofthe chamber 30 is expelled through vents 24 and 25. Consequently, thecam 8 is moved radially into engagement with the appropriatelysynchronized needle butt as seen in FIG. 1. The movement of the cam has,of course, a distance equal to a single increment.

When the actuators are arranged in tandem as seen in either FIG. 1 orFIG. 3 and only one pressure pulse P P or P is applied, the piston 15moves only through a single increment as described. However, should oneor more pulses P P or P be applied simultaneously, the incrementalmovement is double or triple, as the case may be.

The construction of the actuator 9 permits their easy arrangement intandem or series. Two units may be placed back to back as shown inFIG. 1. In this case, the two pistons pins 15 and 16 face each other andby setting the second piston 16 against the fixed portion of thebracket, the double pulses P and P actuate the piston 15 to move adouble increment. When placing the third actuator, its diaphragm can actdirectly on the piston 16 of the second actuator as if it were theprimary piston. Consequently, the simultaneous movement creates a triplemovement. It will be obvious that the number of actuators may bemultiplied as required to effect the exact stroke distance of the cam 8.It will be also obvious that the cam 8 may thus be employed to operatemore than one or even two sets or groups of jack butts making thepresent invention quite versatile.

While the present invention has been applied to the control of needleelements, it may with only minor modification be applied to controlsinkers, yarn guides, latch cams and similar movable parts requiringcyclic operation. Accordingly, it is intended that this disclosure beviewed as being illustrative only and should not in any manner belimiting of the scope or application of the present invention.

What is claimed:

1. In a knitting machine, apparatus for operating a machine element suchas a needle or jack having a control butt, said apparatus comprising abracket mounted adjacent to said machine element and a plurality ofpneumatic actuators serially arranged within said bracket and axially ofsaid machine element, each of said actuators comprising a hollow body, aflexible diaphragm secured within and dividing said body into a frontand rear chamber, and a movable member extending outwardly of saidchamber, means for effecting movement of said extending member over apredetermined distance on application of a pneumatic pulse thereto,means retaining the outermost actuator from movement away from saidmachine element, a cam mounted on the extending member adjacent saidmachine element adapted to be moved into and out of operative engagementwith the butt of said element, said cam mounting member having a rearend bearing on said diaphragm, and resilient means for maintaining saidcam normally out of engagement with the butt of said machine element,and means for selectively feeding pneumatic pulses to one orsimultaneously more of said actuators to cause one or more of saiddiaphragms to flex and move said extending movable member against saidresilient means, into engagement with said machine element, the numberof pulses fed to said actuators determining the distance of movement ofsaid extending movable member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuators comprise apair serially arranged back to back within said bracket to form acombined actuator,

whereby on application of a pulse to each of said pair of actuators themovable extending member adjacent said machine element is caused totravel a distance twice the predetermined distance and whereby theapplication of a pulse to any one of said actuators causes said movablemember adjacent said machine element to move only the predetermineddistance.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 including a third pneumaticactuator arranged in series with said previously mentioned pair ofactuators, the extending member of the second of said paired actuatorsbeing fixed against the back of said third actuator and the extendingmember of said third actuator fixed against outward movement whereby thesimultaneous actuation of said third and pair of actuators causesmovement of the movable member of the first of said paired actuatorsover a distance three times the predetermined distance.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 including means for adjusting thedistance of movement of each said extending movable member.

1. In a knitting machine, apparatus for operating a machine element suchas a needle or jack having a control butt, said apparatus comprising abracket mounted adjacent to said machine element and a plurality ofpneumatic actuators serially arranged within said bracket and axially ofsaid machine element, each of said actuators comprising a hollow body, aflexible diaphragm secured within and dividing said body into a frontand rear chamber, and a movable member extending outwardly of saidchamber, means for effecting movement of said extending member over apredetermined distance on application of a pneumatic pulse thereto,means retaining the outermost actuator from movement away from saidmachine element, a cam mounted on the extending member adjacent saidmachine element adapted to be moved into and out of operative engagementwith the butt of said element, said cam mounting member having a rearend bearing on said diaphragm, and resilient means for maintaining saidcam normally out of engagement with the butt of said machine element,and means for selectively feeding pneumatic pulses to one orsimultaneously more of said actuators to cause one or more of saiddiaphragms to flex and move said extending movable member against saidresilient means, into engagement with said machine element, the numberof pulses fed to said actuators determining the distance of movement ofsaid extending movable member.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said actuators comprise a pair serially arranged back to backwithin said bracket to form a combined actuator, whereby on applicationof a pulse to each of said pair of actuators the movable exTendingmember adjacent said machine element is caused to travel a distancetwice the predetermined distance and whereby the application of a pulseto any one of said actuators causes said movable member adjacent saidmachine element to move only the predetermined distance.
 3. Theapparatus according to claim 2 including a third pneumatic actuatorarranged in series with said previously mentioned pair of actuators, theextending member of the second of said paired actuators being fixedagainst the back of said third actuator and the extending member of saidthird actuator fixed against outward movement whereby the simultaneousactuation of said third and pair of actuators causes movement of themovable member of the first of said paired actuators over a distancethree times the predetermined distance.
 4. The apparatus according toclaim 1 including means for adjusting the distance of movement of eachsaid extending movable member.